Black Widow
by DroopingRoseHead
Summary: One night, Holly is visiting and Butler hears sobbing from Artemis's room. Whose tears are being shed? What does it bode? The start of something very big, all right...
1. Prologue

**A/H**: So ha, Lily! I did (start) an Artemis Fowl fanfic!

To everyone else: please enjoy. Actually, my fic will suck in comparison to Lily's (hopelily). So…if you don't like mine, go read hers.

It's Artemis Fowl: Collision of the Worlds (or something close to that.) P

**Prologue**

Fowl Manor is an ancient home, jammed with security systems and eighteenth century splendor. The gateway was a gorgeous affair of twisting designs and black iron. Splendid as the house may be, the occupants are even better.

Artemis Fowl the Second, technically eighteen but in reality a few years younger than that, a prodigy in all aspects, is the main character of our story. His manservant, Butler – a friend, cook, and bodyguard rolled into one massive package, is also a major part of Artemis's life, being around him at all times. His mother, Angeline Fowl, and his father, Artemis Fowl the first, and Artemis's young twin siblings, also occupy the manor, but they do not appear in this story much. The twins do not show signs of Artemis's genius, but they do show signs of being too cute for anyone's good.

It was night time during Artemis's summer vacation, and he was sitting in his bedroom, talking with Holly Short, his diminutive elf friend, a sharp and pretty Captain of the LEPrecon. For once, her face was not on his fairy communicator. She was actually in his room. Artemis's parents had gladly allowed Artemis to have his little friend over; delighted that he actually _had _a friend. They were even more delighted to find her a girl, and had insisted on going off to a spa for the weekend with the twins, leaving Butler in charge. "Now Artemis," his father had said with a broad wink, "we trust you to be responsible!" Honestly. Holly was more than a century older than Artemis. Only Artemis Fowl Junior's parents would leave him basically alone with his friend in the ancient Fowl Manor for a whole weekend.

They were in his room talking, and Butler had withdrawn to give them some privacy. As Butler patrolled the halls of the manor, head bowed in thought, he heard something as he passed the room Artemis and Holly were in.

They were sobs – the kind of sobs that someone makes when they are trying to be quiet, but can't help themselves if they are loud. Butler was concerned.

"Artemis?" he called out, wondering whether he should go in or not. The sobs simply intensified. "Artemis. Artemis, I'm coming in. What's wrong?" He scowled. He knew Holly wouldn't hurt Artemis…was that Holly crying? Artemis never cried. But then, there was a first time for everything. He wondered if they were happy sobs, not having much experience in the crying area. But they didn't sound happy at all to him.

Butler pushed open the door and stepped in. The light was very bright in here, bright white light. It was a fairly large room – Artemis's bedroom. The bed was a huge King-sized one, with an amazingly firm and comfortable mattress. The blankets and comforters were thick and dark green. The walls were painted a paler green. The ground was wooden, but a light brown rug covered part of it. The mahogany desk and bookshelf were in one corner. Artemis's closet was at the other end of the room.

Someone was in the bed – but only one person, Butler saw, by the contours of the figure. Where was the other person? The sobbing was coming from the person in the bed.

Butler hesitantly stepped over to the bed, his mind whirring. What in the world was happening… ? Had they had a fight? But his gut told him that something worse was afoot, much less petty than a fight.

He hesitated when he got to the bed, worrying over what to do. If it was Holly in the bed, where was Artemis? But if Artemis was in the bed – Artemis never cried.

Butler was a man of strong resolve, after all, and he cared for Artemis and Holly very much. He dithered only a second before he pulled off the comforter, not knowing who to expect.

The crying continued, and Butler felt tears in his own eyes as he looked down at the person in front of him.

---

Ending note: Please give me some constructive criticism. I deperately need it.


	2. Tears

**A/N:** First, thanks everyone for the reviews! And no, this isn't my first fic, it's my fourth, I deleted my third one and the other two were badly written (as my reviews stated)…This one, I hope, will be a glorious work. Second, the only reason I update this the day after I wrote the prologue is because it's a weekend and I'm not busy. So generally I update about once every week or once every two weeks depending on my schedule. Sorry about that Also, this fic isn't going to have come huuuggee conspiracy plot, and it's mostly going to be some pointless bonding theme or whatever, and sorry about that too but as I'm not good at doing conspiracy or action stories…fluff it shall have to be. With a little bit of trouble.

**Chapter One**

Holly Short, three feet tall, with auburn hair and a sharp, pretty face, was currently very worried. Extremely worried. So worried it is impossible to describe how anxious she was, and thus the author uses this description: she was worried.

Now, why would a Captain of Section 8 in the LEP be worried? Not that there wasn't plenty to be worried about. Goblin gangs were stirring up trouble as usual. And of course there was the always looming threat of the Mud Men discovering their existence. The threat of Trouble Kelp developing a crush on Holly was also rather worrisome, especially as she only considered him a friend. And her ferns were rather in bad shape, and Holly loved her ferns. But these were fairly typical things. No, what she had to deal with was Artemis.

Artemis Fowl – Holly's arch nemesis once, and now one of her closest friends. And he was a Mud Boy, at that. Holly would've grinned if she hadn't been so worried. Odd how these things work out.

But Artemis was currently in bed sobbing his heart out, and what had been an innocent venture to visit her favorite Mud Boy was rapidly becoming a rather messy situation. Holly was supposed to be on vacation – she hadn't even packed her stylish black suit or a helmet, or even a buzz baton for that matter. All she'd brought were her favorite clothes, and her fairy communicator – just in case.

She decided to use that communicator to contact Foaly. But would Artemis appreciate her meddling? He'd cried in front of Foaly before, or rather when Foaly was listening in – in the Arctic, for a whole minute. But that was normal – his father had just been rescued, after all. But now there seemed no plausible reason and she doubted that Artemis would like Foaly seeing him weak. But Artemis had also evolved into a very charming (and good-looking, Holly's mind grudgingly added) companion, quite different from the cold twelve-year old who'd kidnapped her. Well, it didn't really matter what Artemis thought. Holly would call Foaly, and ask for help to see what was wrong, and really, it was for his own good.

Holly wasn't in Artemis's room anymore. She was trying to avoid Butler, avoid his questions and inquiring eyes – even though she knew he meant the best. But right now something traumatic was going on. Her instincts were on red alert. Holly had silently padded her way into the bathroom, and was now staring in disgust at a toilet with the chemicals that had – as she had once put it – took the fertile out of fertilizer. She activated her fairy communicator and put Foaly on the channel.

"Foaly."

"Holly?" The centaur stared. "What are you doing? Where's Artemis?"

"I don't know," Holly said, trying not to let her concern show. "He's – um – he's crying. In bed."

"Why in the world would he be crying? Artemis Fowl, crying?" Foaly snorted. "You're pulling my leg."

"No, I am not! He is seriously in bed crying. We were just talking and then he crawled into bed and started sobbing."

Foaly was silent. "By Frond, you're serious, aren't you?"

Holly nodded. Foaly pondered a moment. "I'm a technical engineer, Holly, not a psychologist. But I'll give it a shot. What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. How people were underground, the swear toads, your girlfriend…"

Foaly suddenly looked excited. "You were talking about my girlfriend?"

"Uh, yes, Foaly, we were. Now, any enlightenment?" Holly let a bit of impatience creep into her tone. Foaly looked like he was on the point of exploding with laughter.

"Holly! It is so obvious! You were talking about my girlfriend in a room alone with Artemis. Artemis, who after all has technically just begun puberty, is struck by hormones and realizes…" Foaly took a deep breath. "Holly Short, congratulations, you are the victim of Artemis Fowl's first crush!"

Holly burst into laughter, then quickly stifled it. It wouldn't do for Butler to hear, though he was undoubtedly in Artemis's room. Then she sobered up. "Seriously, Foaly. Artemis is just not that kind of person, and besides, I'm an elf. It wouldn't work out, and Artemis knows that. There's something else going on." She chewed her lip. "But what?"

&&&

Butler briskly blinked away his own tears. Seeing Artemis crying was a very heart-wrenching thing. The younger brother he had never had, the Fowl heir – Artemis was supposed to be a rock, someone Butler could always trust to be the same cynical genius. Now, he was crying.

The young man's pale face had tears all over it, and his thin chest heaved with sobs. His dark hair was a mess, and his polo shirt was creased and crumpled. His face wasn't red, though, but Butler never really saw Artemis cry, so he wouldn't know if that was normal or not. Besides, if Artemis was always cool and collected not crying, it seemed logical he wouldn't look as messy as other people when _they _cried versus him sobbing.

But thinking off in tangents wouldn't help Artemis any, and Butler knelt down by the bed, and stared earnestly at Artemis. "Artemis," he said urgently, "what's wrong?" Artemis shook his head, and Butler saw his charge's eyes wide with fear. Fear? Why would Artemis be afraid?

But the fear was still there, and Butler had no answers to his questions. Very important questions, as it would turn out.


	3. Avert

**Chapter Two**

"Ah," Artemis said, giving Holly a cheerful smile. "You've awoken."

Holly rubbed her eyes and glared at Artemis. "Artemis?" Suddenly the previous events came back to her. "Oh my god, Artemis, why were you crying? Are you okay?" She sat up. "Um ... I fell asleep?"

Artemis cocked an eyebrow.

Holly glared harder. "You are _not _telling me it was a dream." Artemis simply looked at her. Holly shook her head. "Artemis, stop lying."

Artemis couldn't play dumb for long. He grinned. "No, it wasn't a dream. Yes, I was crying." He laughed. "The great Artemis Fowl in a moment of weakness."

Holly gave him a quick once-over. His face was relaxed, his body language saying he was an open person. He was cheerful and seemed unhurt.

"So, why were you crying?" she probed.

Artemis's face darkened a little. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Holly demanded

Artemis shrugged indifferently. "I just can't." He grinned at her again, apparently determined to change the subject. "Come on, let's go eat something. I'm sure you're hungry."

Holly decided to consider Artemis's feelings and let him change the subject.

But she wouldn't forget.

&&&

The two centaurs snickered.

"He's going to die - he's going to die," the one on the left said.

"The great Artemis Fowl shall pay," vowed the second. "Just wait and see..."

&&&

"I'll be right back," Artemis told Holly, and headed off to the bathroom. He washed his hands, feeling the cold water rush over his hands. Leaning his cheek against the cold marble wall, he sighed. He hated having to lie to Holly.

Something was wrong with him, and he knew it. Artemis Fowl shuddered.

**A/N: Sorry I had to make you guys wait so long and it was still so short! Time's limited nowadays and I'm taking a Creative Writing Class. Oh, by the way - the week of August 4th I'm going on vacation for a week, so no updates then either! Really sorry!  
**


	4. Gate

**Chapter Three**

A/N: I know you probably all hate my guts for taking so long to update, and there isn't going to be much updation later either, because with summer almost being over I've got so much to do. Really sorry. I'll try to make this chapter worth it.

&&&

"Artemis?" Holly's voice drifted down the thickly carpeted hallway. "You're taking forever. Are you okay?"

Artemis started awake. "What? Oh – sorry. I guess I fell asleep."

"In the _bathroom_?" Holly's voice stopped outside the front of the bathroom. "Artemis, are you sure everything's okay? Are you _sure_?" Artemis frowned to himself. That elf was too perceptive by far. He felt vaguely guilty at making her worry like this.

"I'm fine," he said briskly. "I'll be right out." He turned on the faucet and rinsed cold water over his hands and face. He turned it off and sighed a little. Then he gave himself a brisk shake and opened the door with a bright smile on his face.

Holly wasn't buying it. The auburn-haired captain of the LEP stood there with her arms crossed, glaring at him. Her pretty features were twisted in worry and frustration. "Mud Boy, _something_ is up, and you are going to tell me _now_." Artemis looked at her, stricken.

"I can't," he mumbled. "It – it would make you..." the rest trailed off into silence.

"I'm sorry," Holly said sarcastically. "I didn't hear that last part." Artemis frowned at her, and rubbed his temples.

"I don't want to tell you," he muttered. "I don't want anyone to worry." Holly's expression vanished, softened up, and her arms uncrossed.

"Why? What's going on? I want to help you. I'm your friend." Artemis looked at her. Blue eyes met hazel.

"I really can't," he started. Holly cut in.

"Yes you can, Mud Boy."

&&&

Cantata scowled. "That elf could ruin everything." She swished her tail. "We have to get rid of her, John."

Her fellow centaur nodded. "Alright. We'll kill them both." A smile spread slowly across his face. "I'll see to it myself." Cantata saw a sadistic light shine in his eyes. An identical smile spread across her face.

"I couldn't ask for more," she said happily. "We'll send you to the surface right away."

"Illegally, of course," John said.

"Illegal is always faster," Cantata said, remembering when Butler had said it. "And always more fun."

&&&

"Artemis?" Butler lumbered through the mansion, finding Artemis and Holly in the bathroom hallway. "There's a centaur at the gate. Not shielded. It just popped out of nowhere."

"Is it Foaly?" Artemis asked curiously. Holly frowned. Foaly wouldn't come here.

"No. I've never seen them before," Butler said. Artemis looked curious and seemed on the verge of saying something, then checked himself. Butler might have been imagining it, but it seemed his young charge was depressed.

"Invite our guest in, Butler," Artemis said.

Butler nodded briefly and went to do so.


	5. Lies

**Chapter Four**

**DISCLAIMER: No, I do not own AF. As much as I regret that. I can not even boast a style comparable to Eoin Colfer. But, I do own Cantata and John. Too bad I don't like those characters much.  
**

"Hello, my fairy friend," Butler said politely to the centaur standing outside the front door. "Won't you please come in?"

"I'd be delighted," the centaur drawled. He was a tall figure, his hair dark reddish-brown, and was certainly more striking a figure than Foaly. For one, he didn't have bald spots on his hindquarters. His grace was also something that Foaly, with his four left hooves, could never imitate. "My name is John." He stepped inside.

"Do you have a special purpose here?" Butler inquired casually. His hand automatically reached for his Sig Sauer, then he drew it back. He didn't want to alarm his guest. Yet.

"Certainly I have a purpose here," John said, voice soft. "I expect you'll find it out sooner than you like." Butler glanced at him.

"Are you here to see Artemis?" he asked brusquely. The younger brother he'd never had. This centaur boded ill news for the young Fowl heir. Butler could feel it.

"How is he doing?" the centaur asked nonchalantly. "Well, I hope." Butler's hand tightened on his Sig Sauer. It was almost like this John creature knew...

"He's doing fine. Why wouldn't he be?" Butler asked sharply.

"Oh, so he hasn't told you," John said. "As we expected." Butler's eyes narrowed. He liked Foaly much better than this quietly sinister _thing_. Should he even show him in to Artemis, he wondered.

"Butler?" Artemis's voice crackled over the intercom. "Please bring our guest in to me."

John smiled. "You heard the man."

Butler scowled at him. "You're not going to try anything," he said to John, enunciating every syllable. "Not. A. Thing."

John cocked an eyebrow. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said airily, smirking. Butler's senses were tingling.

"This way," he growled, and pushed the centaur ahead of him, glancing up at the intercom. Artemis knew what he was doing. Butler could trust Artemis.

But then the image of Artemis crying came back.

&&&

"John, is it?" Artemis asked, lacing together his fingers. The Irish boy looked with curiosity on the centaur. "What brings you here?" They were in the office, Artemis and Holly both sitting on office chairs, holding lemonades. Artemis had offered John one, playing the good host, but John had declined, shuddering at "Mud Man food" - resulting in Holly narrowing her eyes. So he was one of _those_ fairies.

"Oh, I'm here on a mission," John said quietly. "I'm here to exterminate Captain Short."

Artemis's eyes widened, and Holly sat bolt upright in her seat. She hadn't packed her Neutrino, for heaven's sake, _why_ hadn't she packed -

"Oh, very funny, Mr. John," Artemis said softly. Dangerously. His blue eyes glittered.

John's own eyes narrowed. "A nice joke, indeed," he said without any trace of humor.

&&&

Belowground, Cantata rolled her eyes, watching the proceedings through John's iris-cam, filched from the LEP. Could he _be _any more dramatic? Just get on with it, John, she groaned inwardly. Kill the elf already. We've got business with Artemis, or have you forgotten?

&&&

"Is this room secure?" John asked Artemis.

"Yes," the young man answered tersely. "Do you have a reason for asking?"

The centaur smirked. "Well, I don't want anyone to hear our conversation except...us. You're not as smart as rumors say you are."

Holly jumped up. "Artemis's IQ is probably three times as high as the number of single hairs you've got on that fat behind of yours."

"Holly," Artemis warned her quietly. This centaur wasn't going to be messed with.

John's smirk widened. "Oh, Artemis isn't as smart as he'd like you to think, Captain. Would you like me to fill you in before you die?"

"You're a liar. What could you tell me about anything?" Holly retorted.

"Oh, I could tell you quite a few things," John sighed, looking at the ground. "For one, I could tell you that Artemis's brain is dying. And with it, him."

Holly opened her mouth to say, LIES! But then she looked at Artemis. To her shock, he had closed her eyes, but not before she saw the fear in them.

It was true.


	6. Motives

A/N: GACK! SO SORRY! IT TOOK ME FOREVER! And I can only just scribble (er, type) this down really fast…Not much time. High school is soo hard. I feel like an idiot since I already have 2 C's in Bio and Math. stabs self Hope you enjoy…! Oh, and does anyone know if there's going to be an Artemis Fowl Book 6?

**Chapter Five**

"Artemis." Holly looked at the Mud Boy steadily. "What is he talking about?"

Artemis shook his head as if muddled. The thought struck Holly that he actually might be. Artemis Fowl – muddled? Holly felt as if something had gone wrong with the world. Something _had _gone wrong with the world. Artemis Fowl did not get muddled. It just didn't happen.

"Holly," the Irish boy sighed, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But – my IQ _has _been dropping."

"That doesn't mean anything," Holly said calmly and firmly. "How did this happen? Give me details."

Artemis hesitated. Holly watched him in frustration. Artemis – _dumb_? Or even with average intelligence. How had this -?

John smirked. "Afraid to tell your little tale, Mud Boy? Then let me fill in the pretty captain on some things," he said. "You see, Miss Short, we wanted Artemis to die. But not just an ordinary death. A painful one. Tortuous. And physical pain was so easy to inflict. We had to beat him at his own game, best him at intellect. And after all," he grinned, "it was quite easy. He isn't all he's cracked up to be."

Artemis seemed about to say something, retort sharply – Holly watched hopefully – but then his eyes lost their luster and he subdued himself. His face was very bleak.

"We?" Holly asked sharply.

"Me and Cantata," John answered. "A clever little filly." Underground, Cantata's jaw dropped. How dare he speak of her like that! A _clever little filly_? She was so much more than that! Fuming, she thought of how she's get back at him for that when he returned from killing Holly.

"All we had to do," John continued, "was intercept a shipment of Irish spring water being delivered to the Fowl home. We filled the bottles with a little serum, you see."

"And what was in the serum?" Holly asked, stalling for time, as she glanced around the office, trying to see something she could hit that damn centaur with – hard enough on the head so he'd still be seeing spots when Frond came back from the dead.

"A memory wipe serum," John said. "Foaly had recently found out a way to make someone forget things through this serum; it's so much easier to carry around on field missions, and a lot more useful. But there were a couple of bugs he needed to fix."

"And what were those bugs?" Holly asked, dread gathering in the pit of her stomach.

"The serum wiped away memory, yes, but it also wiped out bits of the brain along with it," John said smoothly. "It slowly ate away at the cerebellum, corroding, destroying." His tone turned condescending. "It was so easy to get the serum and sneak it into the spring water."

Artemis raised his head. "What have I ever done to you?" he croaked. Holly saw his eyes – they were wide with panic. Panic? Artemis Fowl never panicked. But this wasn't Artemis, this was – someone else.

John's eyes hardened. "You lived," he hissed. "You meddled. You knew the fairies."

"So?"

"_You were allowed to keep your memories_," John said angrily, venom in his voice. Holly looked at him in wonder. What the heck -?

"He's done great services for the People," she reminded him.

"Services?" John snorted. "Pah! We were almost exposed because of this boy!"

Holly bristled. "Where would you be now without Artemis? Opal Koboi would've taken over the world, you would've been _killed_ –"

John ignored her. He looked beyond her, beyond Artemis, beyond the office walls – "When I was young," he said, "I hit my head."

"Amazing," Holly said, dripping the sarcasm that Artemis usually would've had exuding from his voice in rivers. If this was a normal time.

"And," John continued, "I lost my memories. It was a very bad blow. I don't remember how it happened, you see. Because I lost my memories.

"And there was a girl. A female centaur. Pretty. Smart. I was in love with her; she with me. Or so I'm told. But I had forgotten her, you see. And I hadn't done anything!" John's hands balled into fists. "Nothing! But I lost my memories, and my happiness, because I _hit my head_! It wasn't fair!" he shouted.

Holly looked at the door. Maybe Butler would hear and come in.

John continued, frenziedly. "Why did this little Mud Boy get to keep his memories? He hadn't hurt himself! He did terrible things! He kidnapped an elf! He sold fairy technology! And what did he get? He _got to keep his memories_!"

"He was a genius," Holly said, wincing as she used the word _was_, "and we did wipe his memories. He got them back."

John snorted. "I never got mine back."

Holly thought this was a pretty lame motive but moved on. "What about Cantata?"

John thought for a moment. "Opal Koboi. Cantata was a fan of Opal, a huge fan. And then Artemis Fowl brought her downfall. Oh, I know you were in it too, and Foaly. But she saw Artemis as the main perpetrator. Bad things happened only after he entered the fairy world. He was like a trigger. She wanted him dead. She wanted peace and vengeance for Opal."

This, too, Holly thought was a lame motive.

"So now," John said, "we are going to get our revenge on Artemis. But he never told anyone about this," and he smiled. "Which is good," he continued, "because we don't want him to find the cure."

Artemis's head, which had been drooping, snapped up. Holly's ears perked up. Cure?

Cantata fumed. _You fool_! 

"Well, anyway," John continued. "We don't want anyone to know what we did to Artemis. Easier that way. No resistance. So," he said conversationally, "I came up here to abduct Artemis. So he won't tell anyone."

"What about me?" Holly asked.

John pondered. "Oh. To kill you, too."

Holly rolled her eyes. "Villains."


End file.
